Controversial ordinance: ‘PPO will turn Pakistan into security state’

ISLAMABAD: Promulgation of the Protection of Pakistan (Amendment) Ordinance will turn the country into a ‘security state’, observed former Supreme Court Bar Association’s president Asma Jahangir on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Jahangir said that through this ordinance the armed forces will have the power to barge into anyone’s home and would also have the right to arrest people without warrants. “This ordinance will give security forces a licence to break laws”.

Urging the government to make laws to protect citizens rather than provide cover to security forces she insisted that the “ordinance should be challenged”. However, she dismissed the idea of challenging the ordinance herself.

She proposed that the parliament should refer the ordinance to the relevant standing committee for reviewing. Jahangir added that senior members of the bar association should be taken into loop for consultation over the law and constitution.

Objecting over Section 9 of the ordinance, which does not bind the armed forces to disclose the location of a detainee, she said that safe houses were not acceptable as constitution did not permit it.